Friday, January 03, 2014

NWSL Announce Player Allocation for 2014

The NWSL today announced the player allocation for the 2014 season. As of right now, FC Kansas City is allocated seven players from the US, Canadian, and Mexican federations. Two of those players are new from last year, Amy Rodriguez, who the club traded Kristie Mewis to Seattle for, and Cecilia Santiago, a goalkeeper for Mexico. The other five are all returning players, Nicole Barnhart, Lauren Holiday, and Becky Sauerbrunn from the US and Desiree Scott and Lauren Sesselmann from Canda.

The questions on Scott's move, and Sesselmann's rumored move to Notts County are still hanging in the air, but the two as of now are expected to be in camp with FCKC. That will be something to keep an eye on in the days moving forward, especially with the expansion draft for the Houston Dash coming up soon.

Speaking of the expansion draft, it could have big implications for the Blues. Today, the Dash were allocated their first three players, one from each of the participating federations. Word is that the team's other two allocated American players will come through the expansion draft. With KC being one of two clubs (Seattle the other) with four Americans currently allocated to the club, it's easy to deduce that KC and Seattle will be the two clubs losing an allocated American.

For FCKC, with Barnhart Holiday, Rodriguez, and Sauerbrunn it's hard to decide who they'd lose. With Holiday being the league's reigning MVP, I can't see the club letting her leave. Rodriguez was just acquired from Seattle in the offseason and is another that I don't see KC being pushed to give up. That leaves Barnhart and Sauerbrunn. Currently with the addition of Santiago, KC now has three goalkeepers on their roster with Barnhart and Bianca Henninger. I can't see KC carrying three keepers this year, so one of those three will be departing. Now whether that's Barnhart or Henninger is another question.

It's going to be a big loss for FCKC either way. Whatever happens, the Blues could end up with a big hole up the middle of the field somewhere. Or it could be multiple holes if Scott does not return to the club.